


time, mystical time

by cuddlyobrien



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Dream Magic, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Kid Fic, M/M, Marriage, Memory Magic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-18
Updated: 2020-09-18
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:55:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26523292
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cuddlyobrien/pseuds/cuddlyobrien
Summary: It’s quiet for a long pause before, “Well, I guess now you know. You and all your friends and followers can all make fun of Draco Malfoy, the death eater who most wants The Saviour.”“Damn it, Malfoy.” Harry spits out, sitting up in bed. “I don’t care that you dreamt about me.”“It wasn’t a dream to me!” Draco shouts, sitting up and opening his bed curtains, finding Harry illuminated in the moonlight streaming in. “It was real! You and me and Astra, were real! And now I’m back here and you don’t look at me like he did! It’s like you’ve died and it’s like she died! And I can’t- I can’tbreathe!”Harry’s out of bed and crossing the space between their beds in a second, crawling in beside Draco. He pulls Draco into his arms, “I’m here. I’m right here. I’m not dead, I’m here.”
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley, Pansy Parkinson/Ginny Weasley
Comments: 16
Kudos: 266





	time, mystical time

**Author's Note:**

> all mistakes are mine :) title lyrics is from invisible string by taylor swift.

Draco wakes slowly, a bright light shining in his eyes as he groans. He blinks against the light and looks around to see he’s in a hospital. There’s a healer beside him, scribbling in his chart. “What happened?” 

“Mr. Malfoy, you’re awake!” The healer says, smiling as she sets his chart down. “Do you know where you are?”

“The hospital, obviously.” Draco drawls out. “What happened?”

“You were teaching your potions class. You were observing a student’s work and we’re really not sure how it happened but the potion wasn’t correct. Small explosion sent you flying back.” The healer explains and Draco’s mind tries to catch up. “Your husband has been called.”

“Potions class? Husband?” Draco sounds out, looking at his healer with wide eyes. 

The healers face falls and she asks, “When do you think it is, Mr. Malfoy?”

“I’m in my 8th year at Hogwarts.” Draco says slowly. He swallows hard as he looks down at his left hand and sees the black metal band on his ring finger. “I cant be married. Who would want to-“

He’s cut off by the door flinging open. Draco’s eyes widen at the sight of Harry fucking Potter standing there, holding a small girl in his arms. There’s a full beard on his face and his hair is long and pulled back into a low bun. Potter sets the small girl down and she runs to Draco’s side with a huge smile on her face. “Daddy, you’re okay!” 

Draco looks at the little girl then to Potter who’s moving towards him with a smile on his face. “ _You’re_ my husband?” 

Potter’s smile falters and he looks to the healer and back to Draco. “What’s going on?”

The healer sighs and clears her throat. “He must’ve hit his head harder than we originally thought. He believes it’s still his 8th year at Hogwarts.”

Potter nods, wringing his hands together. Draco can see tears pooling in his eyes and he can’t believe his fucking eyes. Is Harry ‘golden boy’ Potter crying over him? “Can we do anything to fix it?”

“If we attempted to get the memories back we could risk him losing them forever. In these types of situations we usually wait a few months to see if they come back on their own before attempting the retrieval process.” The healer explains, a look of sympathy on her face.

“When in your 8th year?” Potter asks him, clenching his jaw. 

Draco clears his throat, as the little girl climbs her way up the side of the bed and curls into his side. “Uh, early September. We’ve just gotten accustomed to being roomed together.” 

“We uh, we started-“

“Mr. Potter, we should wait to see if his memory comes back on his own. Giving him information now could cloud his memory retrieval process.” The healer interrupts and Draco sends her a glare. He wants to know how he ended up here. How he landed Harry Potter and how he has a life and daughter with him. 

“Papa, can we take Daddy home now?” The small girl, who Draco notes has Potter’s unruly hair and his own grey blue eyes, asks with a little yawn. 

The healer runs through a quick exam and signs some papers and then Potter’s picking the small girl up and telling her sit on the bench outside the room. When Potter comes back, Draco’s trying to get dressed by himself. “For Merlin’s sake, Draco. You did more damage than just messing your head up. You heard the healer say you would be sore.”

Draco looks at Potter as the boy - man - takes the shirt from Draco and instructs him fo lift his arms. He obeys and Potter slips the hospital gown off his shoulders. He slips a snug black turtleneck over Draco’s head and arms. Draco holds his breath as Potter leans in close to his neck, perfecting the fold of the turtleneck. “How did this happen?”

“Some first year added the wrong thing-“

“Not-“ Draco cuts off with a sigh, “How did _we_ happen?”

Potter is silent as he crouches in front of Draco, who’s sitting on the edge of the bed now. He slips a pair of charcoal grey slacks past Draco’s ankles and when his hands reach his knees, Draco reaches out and grasps Potter’s wrist. Potter finally looks up and Draco can see the tears falling freely and unashamed. Draco can remember a time when he would’ve teased Potter for crying. It doesn’t seem possible now. 

“You- You were so... I just wanted to-“ Potter breaks off, looking down and going back to sliding the slacks up Draco’s legs. “We should wait to see if the memories come back on their own. “

Draco sighs in annoyance as he stands and Potter pulls the pants up over the curve of his ass. When Potter goes to button them, he swats his hands away. “I can button my own pants, Potter.”

Draco doesn’t miss the way Potter flinches at the use of his last name. Draco wonders when Potter started calling him Draco in a soft voice instead of Malfoy in a distasteful tone. He has so many questions but he doesn’t have a chance to ask them because the small girls appears at the door again. “Aunt ‘Mione and Uncle Ron are here!” 

Draco watches as Potter runs a hand over his face and he feels a ping of guilt. He hates causes Potter pain, not after all he’s already put the man through. Granger and Weasley are bumbling through the door and Granger is crossing the floor to bring him in for a hug. “I was so worried. I had to return back to the school, the first year who did this is just beside herself. She feels so bad.” 

Draco doesn’t know how to act, he hasn’t been hugged so tightly since, Merlin, he can’t even remember. Potter sighs as Granger pulls back. Weasley is pulling him in then and he says, “She should feel bad. It could’ve ended up a lot worse.”

“Guys-“

“How are you feeling?” Granger asks, cutting Potter off.

“He doesn’t remember.” Potter blurts out in a half whisper, glancing down at the small girl.

“Doesn’t remember the accident? Well that’s to be expected, he-

“He thinks it’s still 8th year, early September.” Potter explains, and the couples faces both fall.

“Oh.” Granger whispers, looks at Draco with an apprehensive look. 

“Well. Must be weird.” Weasley comments and Draco snorts. 

“Waking up to find out I’m married to Potter? Yeah, madly weird.” Draco doesn’t miss how Potter flinches again. He makes a mental note to try and call him Harry when he can.

“Papa, I’m hungry.” The girl whines, tugging on Potter’s robe. Potter leans down, bringing her up into his arms.

“Alright, Astra. Let’s go then.” He says, grabbing a briefcase and stretching an arm out to Draco. “Ron, Hermione... I’ll uh, we’ll talk later?”

The couple nods and Draco walks stiffly to Harry. Harry pulls out his wand and Draco blinks before their standing in front of a large country home, cold air swirling around them. 

Draco watches as Harry sets down the girl, Astra, and she runs into the house. “This is home?”

Harry looks to Draco and nods. “C’mon, I had dinner waiting in the oven for us.”

He eats a roasted lamb, potatoes and asparagus as Astra babbles to them both. Harry leaves him alone in the kitchen to give Astra a bath and put her to bed. Draco can’t sit with his thoughts so he stands and begins hand washing the dishes from dinner. 

He’s setting the last dish in the drying rack when Harry brings Astra back down, her hair wet but braided back and donned in a fleece gown. “She’d like to say goodnight.” 

Draco doesn’t have time to react before Astra is kissing his cheek and hugging his neck. “Goodnight, Daddy. Love you most.”

Draco fumbles over his words as Harry sends him a pointed look. “Goodnight, Astra. Love- Love you, too.”

They’re gone the next moment and Draco leans back against the sink with a heavy sigh. Harry joins him again, standing beside him. “We have a daughter.”

“Yeah.” Harry answers. “She’s three, Hermione had to do _a lot_ of research to find out how to make her a product of both of us. She’s... Draco you _love_ her. I’ve never seen anyone able to get you to drop your defenses quicker than she can. She doesn’t want for anything.” 

“Great, so I’m spoiling her and she’s going to end up just like me.” Draco spits out, feeling a taste of disgust in his mouth.

“Oh, for Merlin’s sake. I forgot how insufferable you were.” Harry groans out before softening his tone, “If Astra becomes anything like you, she’ll be amazing. We don’t spoil her, she is sweet and kind. We have a running joke that she’s going to end up a Hufflepuff. Which, could you imagine?”

Draco snorts at the thought of a Gryffindor who could’ve easily been Slytherin and the worst of the worst Slytherins raising a Hufflepuff daughter. “Think of the headlines.”

They’re laughing together and Harry’s shoulder brushes his. Draco takes a deep breath and settles a look on Harry. “How did we happen?”

Harry’s laughter peters out and he swallows hard. “Are you sure you don’t want to wait until they come back?”

“Ive never been that patient.”

“I know.” Harry say softly and Draco wonders what else Harry knows about him. “Let’s go upstairs.”

Harry leads them up the stairs, past a purple door with Astra’s name on it in black lettering. He opens the door to their room and Draco looks around. The bed is unmade, flannel sheets strewn about and pillows everywhere. Both sides of the bed has a nightstand beside it. One has a book on magical creatures, a picture of Lilly and James, a half drank cup of water and a few tissues. The other is neat and organized, just a notepad and a picture of Harry and himself. They’re standing at the alter, holding hands and facing each other with huge grins. The picture moves and Draco tears his gaze away after he sees Harry surge forward and kiss him in the picture.

One side of the bed has clothes everywhere, the other clean and pristine. There’s a bathroom but the door is only slightly cracked so Draco can’t see in. The closet is the same way as the nightstands, one side messy and the other perfectly clean. When he looks back to Harry, he’s wearing a patient look on his face. Harry makes the bed with a wave of his wand and gestures for Draco to sit. They sit with their legs crossed, facing each other.

“It was December, Christmas time. I was packing my bag, the Weasley’s had invited Hermione and I for the holidays. You were staring out the window and you looked… so sad.” Harry starts, holding Draco’s gaze. I asked if you were joining your Mum for the holidays and you told me that your Mum of course wanted you to come home but, you Father didn’t. I was so angry. I wanted you to come with us to the Weasleys.”

“The Weasley would never allow me to spend Christmas there.” Draco says in disbelief. “Not after Fred.”

“You’re right they wouldn’t have.” Harry replies, looking protective and sad at the same time. “That was the biggest fight Ron and I had. I was livid that he wouldn’t even ask his Mum to consider it. So I told him I was staying at Hogwarts with you. And you were so angry with me. Yelling on about how I had someplace to spend Christmas and how I shouldn’t spend it with someone who isn’t even worth spending a normal day with.” 

Draco swallows hard and looks down. Harry grabs Draco’s chin with a firm hand and tilts his face up to look at him. “Which is when I told you that you’re worth the fucking world. And then well, we fight about who really kissed who but, you get the picture.”

“How’d Ron and Hermione take it?” Draco asks in soft voice. 

Harry laughs, dropping his hand from Draco’s face. “I want you to wait until those memories come back. You’ll want to remember those on your own.”

Draco pauses for a moment before asking, “And my parents?”

“You and your Mum are close.” Harry says and Draco can tells he’s angry. “I won’t allow your father to be around you or Astra.”

“Won’t allow it?” Draco asks, eyebrows raised.

“He showed up when our engagement hit the papers. He said things that… I worked hard to get you to believe that you’re worthy of being loved and that you deserve a happy life. And his words nearly destroyed it all in one fell sweep.” Harry replied, jaw clenched. “He came with Narcissa to the hospital when Astra was born. Ron nearly attacked him when he made the comment that she was pretty for a half-blood.”

Draco’s chest swells with anger and he asks, “Please tell me you kicked him out?”

“Ron took care of it. He’s quite fond of both of you.” Harry says, a small smile forming at the look of disbelief on Draco’s face. “Lucius hasn’t been allowed around either of you since.”

Draco decides on a change of subject, “Why Astra?”

“It’s actually, Asterope. Which means, starry-faced or lightning.” Draco looks to Harry’s scar as he explains. “Astra for short means of the stars. Her full name is Asterope Poppy Malfoy-Potter. “

“Poppy?” 

“You uh, you bring me poppy’s whenever I’m cross with you.” Harry explains, a blush creeping onto his face.

Draco has the urge to pull Harry’s tie off and see if the blush goes all the way down his chest. He shakes his head to clear it before yawning. Harry moves off the bed, “You must be tired.” 

“I am.” Draco replies honestly before Harry procured a set of pajamas and helps Draco into them. 

“I’ll take the couch tonight.” Harry informs him and Draco’s stomach sinks at the thought of being alone in an unfamiliar place.

“You could.. I mean we’re both adults. We can share a bed.” Draco says, hoping his voice doesn’t give off how much he’s panicking. These days he hates being alone at night. 

Harry’s face softens and he sighs, tracing Draco’s jawline with absent fingers. “I forgot you don’t like being alone at night. I’m sorry, of course we can share a bed.”

Draco’s heart soars at the thought that he had been able to be so honest with Harry. That Harry knew his weird quirks and he’s hit with the desire to know Harry’s weird quirks. “Will you be here tomorrow?”

“I had Ron tell our boss I’d be out for a couple weeks.” Harry tells him as Draco slips under the blankets. He watches as Harry peels his shirt off and Draco realizes that Harry has filled out a lot. His back muscles ripple as he bends down to slip his pants off. “I usually sleep in just my briefs but I can put on sweatpants if you’d prefer.”

“No, that’s quite alright.” Draco says as Harry turns and his eyes look up the mans body. Draco clears his throat suddenly and turns on his side away from Harry. “Goodnight, Harry.”

Draco could swear Harry is holding back laughter as he says, “Goodnight, Draco.”

He dreams of fields of poppy’s, fingers gripping his chin and black curls. 

The next morning he wakes up and almost thinks it was all a dream until he realizes that Harry is wrapped around him like a serpent. Their limbs are all tangled together and Harry’s long hair is down, messy and fucking everywhere. He pokes Harry in the side repeatedly until the other man groans. Harry’s lips starts a trail of open mouth kisses down Draco’s neck and Draco freezes. “Harry?”

Harry freezes and then curses softly. He untangles himself from Draco and moves away with an apology before he turns on his side away from Draco. It takes Draco a full five minutes to calm his racing heartbeat and push the thoughts of how good Harrys mouth had felt on his neck before he can get up to use the bathroom. He finds some towels and a wash rag and showers while he’s in there. 

By the time he emerges, Harry is gone and the bed is empty and unmade. Draco rolls his eyes and grabs the wand he recognizes as his and makes the bed quickly. He finds a pair of black jeans and steals a sweater from off of Harry’s side before he pads downstairs. Astra is in the den, eating waffles and watching a muggle cartoon on the television. Harry greets hm with a smile and hands him a coffee. “We have a television?”

“Oh, uh, yeah. I was never allowed to watch the one we had growing up and you like making up for my shitty childhood.” Harry tells him as he scribbles on a paper and Draco feels his cheeks heat. “There are waffles on the table.” 

Draco grabs the same plate he used the night before and sits, grabbing a few waffles. “What are we doing today?”

Harry turns slightly to look at him before turning back to his paper. “Hermione told me some potions that have been known to help with memory recovery. They don’t interfere but rather coax the mind into remembering. I thought we could go to Diagon Alley and find some things.”

“I thought you wanted to be patient and wait until they came back.” Draco points out in quiet voice.

“No reason we can’t help it along.” Harry says in a strange tone.

“What are you thinking?” Draco asks, looking over at Harry who’s staring at him with a weird look in his eyes.

“You barely spoke to me in September of our 8th year. I’m just... I don’t want your mind shutting me down and not remembering because you want to spite me.” Harry tells him and Draco looks away, not wanting him to see the hurt in his eyes. 

Isn’t Harry supposed to trust him? Why would Draco risk not having him and Astra in his life? Does Harry really think that low of him? There’s a long quiet moment before Harry asks, “I can’t tell what you’re thinking. You’re hard for me to read in this state.”

Draco thinks on how to reply before he says, “You’re right. I hated you in early September. You saved my life and I just hated you, wanted nothing to do with you at all. Why would I possibly want to have you now?” 

Harry recoils back like he’s been stung and Draco pushes back from the table and snaps, “For someone who supposedly loves me, you sure are cruel.” 

Draco leaves and rushes up the steps before Harry can see him cry. He puts a locking spell that he knows Harry could disarm if he wanted but knows he won’t. He lays on the bed for an hour before there’s a knock on the door. “Astra and I are leaving. We’ll wait a few minutes if you want to go. If not, I understand.” 

Draco lets them go and when he’s sure they’re gone, he removes the locking spell and goes downstairs. He examines the pictures on the wall, willing his mind to remember even just one of the moments. Granger and Weasleys wedding, Astra’s newborn photographs, he and Harry in Paris. There’s a picture of Pansy, Ginny, Granger, Weasley, Harry and him in front of Hogwarts. They’re all wrapped together and he sees himself gazing at Harry in udder adoration. Merlin, he wants this. He goes upstairs and opens every drawer in their room. After finding nothing of importance, he goes through Harry’s bedside table. He freezes when he sees a few bottles of lube, two dildos, and pair of handcuffs. He swallows hard before slamming the drawer shut. What in the fuck were they into?

He’s ends up taking a nap and when he wakes, it’s dark in the room. He sits up quickly, taking quick, short breaths. He jumps when a hand smooths over the small of his back and then remembers. He sighs a breath of relief as Harry blinks sleepily. “You’re okay, I’m here.”

“I know.” Draco whispers, laying back down facing Harry. “Did you get what you needed?”

“Yeah but, I think we should give it some time.” Harry says in a low voice. “I’m sorry, about earlier. I didn’t mean to imply that you didn’t care about me.” 

“It’s alright.” Draco says softly, hesitating before running a finger down Harry’s nose. “I’m sorry for overreacting.” 

Harry smiles and grasps Draco’s wrist. “It’s quite alright, I’m used to you overreacting.”

Draco hits his chest lightly and they both laugh. They both quiet after a moment and Draco whispers, “I can see how we’d be happy together. How we are, were? Happy together.”

“Are. We are happy together.” Harry says and then drags Draco over into chest. “I’m very tired. I don’t sleep well when you’re angry with me.” 

Somehow, Draco drifts back to sleep.  
Days pass quickly after that, Astra going off to her private tutors for schooling. He and Harry spend most days talking of different things they’ve done. Their wedding, how Astra become about, Ron and Hermione’s trying for a baby, where the rest of their class ended up. Draco tells Harry stories about his childhood that he’s probably already heard but Harry listens with a steady gaze and attentive ear. They both grow impatient with Draco’s memories not coming back. 

It’s a month a half after Draco lost his memories when he kisses Harry. They’d already put Astra down and Harry was reading a book on memory retrieval. He was telling Draco about how most cases have a full recovery. Draco had been thinking about kissing him for a couple weeks and he finally builds the courage to do it. He’s on side, elbow propped up with his palm holding his head up. He reaches over, moves the book and leans forward. Harry’s very still as Draco kisses him, as if he’s afraid Draco will change his mind. When he realizes he’s not pulling back, Harry tosses the book aside and cups Draco’s jaw in a firm hand. 

Draco feels as if his entire body is tingling as Harry deepens the kiss, moving Draco back against the bed and straddling him. Draco can feel his own hard cock brushing against Harry’s, separated only by his own sweatpants and Harry’s briefs. Harry’s hand slips around his neck and squeezes, making Draco gasp into his mouth. Harry’s mind must catch up to him because he’s off Draco in a second, “Fuck, I’m sorry. I didn’t- I got carried away.”

“I’m not sorry. I liked it.” Draco says after a long pauses and Harry huffs out laugh. “C’mon, Potter. Don’t you wanna fool around?”

Harry’s face falls and Draco must’ve said something wrong. “No. I think we should wait until the memories comes back.”

He turns over, turning out his lamp and mumbles a goodnight. Draco lays there in silence, hands aching to reach out and his cock softening by the minute. He turns out his own lamp and it takes him an hour before he realizes his was mistake was calling Harry by his last name. 

When he awakes the next morning, there’s a note on the kitchen counter. _Took Astra to her tutor. Going into work for the day, then having dinner with Pansy and Ginny. I’ll bring you a plate home._

Now he’s just feeling rejected. He knows Harry wants him, they’re married for bloody sake. But what if... what if he doesn’t want this version of Draco? What if his memories never come back and Harry leaves him. Where will he go? Back to his mother and father? 

He’s spiraling into a panic attack before he knows it. He’s gasping for breath and sobbing at the same time. He can’t lose Harry, can’t lose Astra. He doesn’t realize the doorbell has been ringing until the door opens and Granger is rush into the kitchen. She’s throwing her wand and bag down on the table and rushing to his side. 

She holds him and makes him match her breathing for ten minutes until he’s calm. He pulls away and she settles a worried look on his face. “What was that about?”

“Nothing.”

“Draco Malfoy.” She says sternly, face showing that she isn’t going to take no for an answer.

He sighs before explaining the kiss and Harry’s reaction and the note this morning. “What if my memories never come back and he leaves me and I have to go back to my parents?”

Hermione looks angry as she says slowly, “Harry Potter loves you more than life itself. He’s not going anywhere, he loves every version of you. And even if he didn’t, Ron and I do. You will always have a home with us and Pansy and Ginny. You’ll never have to be around your father again. Do you hear me?”

“Yes.” Draco whispers, still stuck on how Harry loves him. “I want to remember so badly.”

“I know.” Hermione says, squeezing his hand. “But if you don’t, you’ll gain new memories with him. With Astra and with us.”

Draco nods and let’s himself relax a little. They have a cup of tea and Hermione leaves him a couple books on memory triggering before she has to get back to Hogwarts. 

Draco must fall asleep reading one before he’s startled awake when Harry comes in the front door. He waits a moment before asking, “Where’s Astra?”

“Begged to stay at Ron and ‘Mione’s. Ron can’t say no.” Harry explains, shrugging his winter coat off.

“Right. I thought you were going to dinner at Pansy and Ginny’s?” Draco asks, setting the book on the table by the couch.

“Hermione told me what happened.” Harry says, sitting beside Draco. Draco open his mouth to speak but Harry shakes his head. “I love you. I’m in love with you. I’m not going to leave you. I cut it off last night because I was scared that you would leave me if you couldn’t remember.”

Draco’s eyebrows draw together, “That’s rid-“

“Completely understandable considering that you didn’t like me much before December of our 8th year.” Harry says carefully. “I’m not saying you didn’t care but we both can admit that we were not on even friendly terms let alone terms to allow us into a relationship.”

Draco nods and moves closer to Harry. “In case it wasn’t obvious, I’m not going anywhere. I’m- Damn it, Harry, I’m falling in love with you.” 

Harry’s head snaps up and searches Draco’s face before he surges forward, capturing Draco’s lips in a deep kiss. They spend a few minutes on the couch before Harry moves Draco’s legs around his waist and hoists them both up. 

Harry carries him up the steps and makes love to him that night and Draco will never forget the look of absolute love and adoration on Harry’s eyes when he came inside of Draco.

He wakes slowly the next day and snuggles closer to Harry, not wanting to face the still cool March draft that was sure to be in their room. Harry’s chest rumbles with a groan as he pulls Draco in more. “Morning, love.”

“Morning.” Draco whispers before he says, “I think we should try the memory retrieval.”

It’s quiet for a long time and Draco thinks that maybe Harry had fallen back asleep. “You don’t think they’re going to come back on their own?” 

“Maybe they will. But I’m tired of waiting for memories that I might never have.” Draco says quietly, drawing circles on Harry’s chest. “If the memory retrieval doesn’t work at least then we’ll know and we can get on with making new memories and having a life.”

Harry’s quiet for a long pause before, “Okay, we’ll go today.”

Ron and Hermione agree to take Astra to her tutor and to watch her another night. So they sit in the examination room, Draco’s hand gripping Harry’s hand so tight his knuckles are white.

They’re setting up the sleeping potion and the memory one. The healer comes over with both and a small smile on her face. “You’ll take the memory potion first and then the sleeping one. You’ll be asleep for around an hour and then when you wake up, we’ll know if it happened.”

Draco nods and Harry’s thumb rubs circles on the back of his hand. He takes both potions and falls asleep just after Harry whispers, “Come back to me, love.”

“Draco!”

“Draco!”

“DRACO!”

He wakes with a gasp, sitting up abruptly. “Did it work?”

“Did what work?” 

Draco looks around in a panic and realizes he’s at Hogwarts. Pomfrey is staring at him with a worried expression on her face. Ron is leaning against the window sill, arms crossed and a serious look on his face. Hermione is sitting on the edge on the bed, looking at him with worried and wide eyes. He bring his gaze to Harry, who’s standing at the foot of the bed with an apprehensive look on his face. His hair is cropped short and his face clean shaven. “No. No. Take me back. _Take me back._ ”

“Draco, calm down.” Hermione tells him softly. “You were hit with spell that slips you into a dream state. You dream about what you want most.” 

“No. No.” Draco shakes his head, it was real. He and Harry were real. Astra was real. “I cant leave them, they’re waiting for me.”

“Your parents?” Draco’s eyes look to Ron who’d voiced the question.

“No. My.. I have to go back.” Draco says insistently. He can feel himself start to have a panic attack and he so desperately wants Harry’s arms around him. 

“Get out.” Hermione tells the boys, moving and pulling Ron off the window sill and pushing him towards the door.

Hermione moves to Harry and he whispers, “It’s my name he’s been whispering for two weeks. I’m not going anywhere.”

Draco’s sobbing now, mumbling Astra’s name. Harry sits beside him on the bed and cradles his face. “Malfoy, match my breathing.”

It’s so easy to calm down when Harry’s touching him. So easy to look into Harry’s eyes and match his breathing. When he’s calmed down, Pomfrey leaves them alone and Hermione asks, “What did you dream?”

“I don’t want to talk about it. It’ll never be reality.” Draco says, pulling his hands from Harry’s. “Can I go back to my room?”

Harry convinces Hermione to let him take Draco to their shared room. Draco’s body is aching and sore so he has to lean on Harry the whole way there. When they reach the bedroom, Draco collapses on the bed and immediately slips under his blankets and curls up facing the wall. Harry lingers, “Do you need anything?”

“No.” Draco says with a sense a finality. He feels a bit a guilt when he closes his bed curtains on Harry but he can’t look at him without wanting to kiss him. 

He doesn’t want to sleep that night, afraid he’ll see Harry and Astra. He doesn’t know how to.... move on from that. How do you move on from that sort of thing? It’s like- It’s like they’ve died. He has to press a fist to his mouth to muffle the sob that rips from his chest. 

“Draco?” Harry whispers, sitting up in bed. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine. Go to sleep Harry.” Draco replies, closing his eyes when he realizes he didn’t call him Potter. 

“You’ve been calling me that a lot lately.” Harry says into the darkness. “You’ve been whispering my name for two weeks.” 

It’s quiet for a long pause before, “Well, I guess now you know. You and all your friends and followers can all make fun of Draco Malfoy, the death eater who most wants The Saviour.” 

“Damn it, Malfoy.” Harry spits out, sitting up in bed. “I don’t care that you dreamt about me.”

“It wasn’t a dream to me!” Draco shouts, sitting up and opening his bed curtains, finding Harry illuminated in the moonlight streaming in. “It was real! You and me and Astra, were real! And now I’m back here and you don’t look at me like he did! It’s like you’ve died and it’s like she died! And I can’t- I can’t _breathe!_ ” 

Harry’s out of bed and crossing the space between their beds in a second, crawling in beside Draco. He pulls Draco into his arms, “I’m here. I’m right here. I’m not dead, I’m here.”

Harry holds Draco for a while, letting him cry. When he’s calmed down, Harry pulls back and gazes at him. “What did you dream about?”

“It doesn’t matter. It wasn’t real.” Draco replies, swiping at his face hastily. 

“If… If it was about us, together, it could be.” Harry starts, voice shaky. “Real, I mean. You and I.”

Draco looks up, meeting Harry’s gaze. “You hate me.”

“No, I don’t hate you.” Harry tells him, using his thumb to wipe a stray tear on Draco’s cheek. “I don’t like things you’ve done. But.. as Hermione puts it, I’ve always been a bit obsessed with you.”

“Obsessed?” Draco asks, forcing a smirk off his face. 

Harry sighs with a small smile forming on his face. “You just.. you make me curious. I want to know everything about you.”

Draco’s heart is in his throat as Harry leans in, pressing a chaste kiss to Draco’s lips. When Harry goes to pull back, Draco cups the back of his head and brings him back. Harry makes a surprised noise in the back of his throat, his hand coming up to twist into Draco’s shirt. They kiss for a long few seconds before Draco pulls away, nipping at Harry’s bottom lip as he does. Harry’s sighs fans over Draco’s face, “Was that in you dream?”

Draco laughs and pulls him in for another kiss. One that lasts all night.

It’s five years later, Draco’s assigning homework to his first-years. Harry slips in the back door, leaning against the doorframe with a smug smile. Draco smiles, fumbling over his words as he dismisses class. Harry moves past the first-years as they whisper about him and about Draco. He kisses Draco softly, like a sigh, and says, “And how are you, love?”

“Mm. Better now.” Draco tells him, bringing Harry in for another kiss. “How’s Ron?”

“Good. Hermione and Puck have been begging him to get a dog.” Harry replies, running a hand down Draco’s arm and entangling their hands. “Tia called, she said the baby’s kicking.”

“She’s kicking?” Draco parrots, smiling uncontrollably. 

“You’re so convinced it’s a girl.” Harry retorts, shaking his head. 

“I just know. I have a name picked out.” Draco tells him and Harry nods for him to go on. “Asterope Poppy Malfoy-Potter.” 

“Asterope? As in Astra for short?” 

“Is that okay?” Draco asks, looking down.

Harry grasps his chin, tilting his face up. “Will you ever tell me anything about that dream?”

“Our daughter’s name was Asterope, meaning starry-face or lightning.” Draco says in one breath, his pointer finger tracing Harry’s scar. “Astra for short meaning of the stars. Poppy for the flowers I bring you when you’re cross with me.”

“Our daughter?” Harry asks, eyes wide and wet. 

“Mhm.” Draco confirms, pressing a chaste kiss to Harry’s lips. “Your hair was longer. Very hot.”

“Oh it was, was it?” Harry asks, running a hand through his messy hair. 

“Yes.” Draco answers with a smirk. “And you loved me. More than anything.”

“That's one thing me and dream me have in common then.” Harry responds, cupping Draco’s jaw and bringing him in for a kiss. “Do you have to stay today?”

“I supposed I can finish grading papers tomorrow. If my husband so desperately needs me at home.” 

“Your husband always desperately needs you at home.” 

And so they go home to their house on the countryside, walking up the familiar steps and tripping over Harry’s clothes strewn about. And they paint their daughter’s bedroom door purple with her name in black lettering. Harry grows his hair and beard out, making Draco squirm when he runs is chin down Draco’s thighs. They buy a television and hang pictures on the walls. Astra’s born and she fills their home with laughter and makes them feel complete. And they slip off into a little slice of heaven.


End file.
